Home
by Megazord Master
Summary: Tommy's life leading up to the start of Blasts. Complete.
1. Home

Home

A/N – Westlife's "Home" doesn't belong to me. Neither does any of the Rangers here. Sort of a tie-in to "Blasts From The past". Timeline jumps from various episodes.

**_Hey_**

**_What's your name?_**

**_Do you live around here, and don't I know your face?_**

Angel Grove – 1998(Passing The Torch)

Tommy Oliver paced nervously around the hall of his house in Angel Grove. He knew that Kat would be waiting for him at the Youth Centre, all excited and packed for their camping trip. He breathed in deeply as the doorbell rang. He opened it and faced…

**_You say I've been a stranger for too long._**

**_I didn't even notice I was gone_**

**_And I wanna come back home_******

Nothing. No one there. He knew that his mind was playing tricks on him. No beautiful brunette waiting outside for him, no, not anymore. He had a chance, but screwed it up. He hefted his red, green and white duffel bag onto his shoulder, then unlocked the back of his car, throwing in the heavy bag with a small grunt. He strode back into the house, picked up his house keys and closed the door. 

**_Show me the way to make a start_**

**_Show me the road back to your heart_**

**_And I've learned the only truth that I need to know_**

**_There's_****_ a million places I can go_**

**_But without you it ain't home_**

**_It ain't home_**

Angel Grove – After the Countdown

He was dreading this. The confrontation with Zordon's killer. By his side, his long-time girlfriend Katherine Hillard stood vigilantly, subduing the rage that threatened to consume him. As he opened the glass doors of the Surf Spot, the din that had been going on was reduced to a deathly hush. He scanned the familiar faces, there was Jason – eyes red rimmed. Adam – tears still streaming down his face. TJ – the former Red Turbo Ranger looking distraught over the prospect of a fight. And there he was. Mr "I don't give a shit about Zordon, just my sister" Andros. Fury blazed in Tommy's eyes, contrasting against Andros' resigned acceptance. Quietly, Kat let go of his arm, allowing him to unleash his dark side.

**_Please say, what I need to hear you say_**

**_Say I'm thoughtless and foolish _**

**_But say it's not too late_**

"You bastard…"

That was the only warning Andros received as the former Ranger leader's right fist collided with his nose. Andros raised his arms up, preparing to ward off the blow that never came. Through Tommy's red hazed eyes, he spotted a familiar figure. Kimberley Hart stared back at him, her eyes shocked and saddened. She let out a choked cry, then ran out, past Tommy and Andros. Tommy looked at his hands, barely noticing Rocky going after Kim, and wondered if he could ever rein in his temper.

**_Now I don't know exactly where we go from here_**

**_But trying is the only way to know_**

**_And I wanna come back home_**

Angel Grove – 2004

Man, how time flew by. From the news, he had heard about the newest bunch of Rangers and their enemies. Time…something or other. Tommy paced nervously, in a mirror image of what he did six years prior. After the disastrous meeting, he had made his peace with the Space Rangers, including Andros, and had humbly learnt the meaning of loyalty. On the plus side, today was a very big day for him. Bigger than the day he received the White ranger Powers. 

Today, he would marry the girl of his dreams. 

**_Show me the way to make a start_**

**_Show me the road back to your heart_**

**_And I've learned the only truth that I need to know_**

**_There's_****_ a million places I can go_**

**_But without you it ain't…_**

He paced nervously in his tux, with a red tie on. He smirked at the thought. Even though the Red Zeo Powers were presumably destroyed, he was still drawn to the colour Red. Even Jason was wearing more and more red nowadays, a move that completely perplexed his fiancée, Emily. Suddenly, a pair of hands caught his shoulders and held him in place. He opened his eyes, and for the first time since the Countdown meeting, faced Kim.

"Tommy, I just wanted to say, thank you for making this happen."

Tommy smiled and nodded. Satisfied with his short answer, she walked out the door, past Rocky, who was coming in. That was another strange enigma. Tommy, and everybody else, couldn't believe that Rocky had snagged Kim – the female that had gotten the title "Tommy's Girl". But then, the impossible seemed possible. Rocky rolled his eyes, and all but dragged Tommy out to the altar. He watched his wife to be walk down the aisle, finally coming to a stop next to him. 

"Do You, Thomas Oliver, take the Katherine Hillard to be your wife?"

"I Do."

**_It ain't hopeless, please believe me_**

**_Don't give up, cause we're halfway there_**

**_At the crossroads, in the middle_**

**_Between hope and between despair_**

**_All I need is some direction_**

**_Let me know you'll wait for me_**

**_Where you are…is where I'll be_******

Angel Grove – 8th April, 2006

And there it was, plain as day. Serpenterra lay in the centre of the screen, fully restored, construction still progressing. It was all of Tommy's worst nightmares come true. After Trini's death, it seemed like nothing else could go right for them. For their part, Kim and Tommy had finally made up, much to the delight of Kat and Rocky. Rocky was thinking of asking Kim to marry him, but wasn't quite sure when.

**_Show me the way to make a start_**

**_Show me the road back to your heart_**

**_And I've learned the only truth that I need to know_**

**_There's a million places I can go but without you_**

**_It ain't home_**

Now, it looked like none of them had very much time left. Silently thanking the fact that Kat was out of the house, he picked up the phone and dialled the first number he could think of. At the sound of the voice on the other end, he beamed widely – never taking his eyes off the metallic serpent on his screen.

"Hey, Kim! I've got some bad news…"

**_it_****_ ain't_**

**_Home._****__**

****

Please R&R my other stuff!


	2. What Do They Know?

What do They Know?

A/N – No Power Ranger is mine. No profit is being made from this. I wish it were, but then I would have to pay taxes, and with the Aus GST, that's not something I'd want. Westlife's "What Do They Know" isn't mine either. Parts of this relate to "Home", you might want to read that before this, but it won't make much difference if you haven't.

**_All they know_**

**_Is when we fight_**

**_They never see us in the loving times_**

**_What do they know_**

**_They don't know_**

**_A thing_**

Angel Grove - 2002

Tommy sat in the park, nervously. It was now almost two years since he had slugged Andros at the Countdown meeting. Kat had helped him to purge himself of his inner demons once and for all, and for that, he was eternally grateful. Kat was a kind and caring person, and she had done that for Tommy. With her help, they had managed to erase all of his insecurities and worries, save for one. With a little help from Rocky, Kat had somehow managed a meeting in the park, but had kept quiet about who Tommy was meeting. 

He had an idea though.

**_And they don't know_**

**_How the laughter flies_**

**_Only the stories _**

**_Most of which are lies_**

**_What do they know_**

**_They don't know_**

**_A thing_**

Striding through the park, directly towards him was his last remaining demon. Kimberley Hart. He was dreading this moment, but in another way he was welcoming the fact that after this, all of his demons would be permanently laid to rest. Cautiously, she sat down next to him, her shoulder-length brown hair loose and forming a sort of chocolate halo in the light breeze. They looked at each other and sighed. Tommy started up first, of course, he had the most to say. His wavering voice betrayed his nervousness.

"Look, Kim, we need to put this behind us and move on with our lives. We need to talk about The Letter. Why did you do it, Kim? Was it something I did, or did you really find someone else?"

Kim swallowed hard, her mouth becoming dry. She knew that this meeting would happen, but she didn't know who she was meeting. She cleared her throat and spoke, her usually confident voice dropping down to almost a nervous whisper.

"Tommy, what do you want me to say about it? That I had fun at the Trials, met someone else and wanted you to know? I don't know why I did it, either. I honestly cannot tell you why I wrote it. I didn't know what came over me, what possessed me to write it. Do you know something, Tommy Oliver? I asked myself why even as I was writing it. Even as I dropped it in the mailbox I didn't know what I was doing. I just…I just didn't want to tie you down to anything. We were teenagers then, Tommy! Our dreams of love were fleeting and futile, nothing compared to true love. I felt that true love with you, but I realised that I had to do something when I left for Florida! I knew it was wrong to hurt you so cruelly, but at the time…"

**_How can you understand_**

**_A love so strong_**

**_When you've never shared that with someone_**

**_And when all the lies are dead and gone_**

**_We'll still be here_**

**_We'll prove them wrong_**

She let the sentence trail off, organizing her thoughts. When she was done, she opened her mouth again and spoke clearly.

"Tommy. I loved you, but I pushed you away because of that love. Now, Kat's loving you just as I loved you, but you're pushing her away just like I did. The Letter is behind us, Tommy. The world isn't black and white, WE know that. Nothing is ever defined in anyone's life. This world – our existence – is nothing more than varying shades of grey. Tommy. Look at me."

Tommy hesitated, then looked at her. The sun fell on her face and on her hair, lighting up her features. Her piercing green eyes spoke wonders to him, but he knew that they were – for once – beyond his grasp. Seeing that she held his attention, Kim continued.

**_Cause they don't feel _**

**_Your touch at night_**

**_The way your hair falls in the morning light _**

**_What do they know_**

**_They don't know _**

**_A thing_**

"There was a time when I truly loved you. But I was young and naïve, and I forced you out of my life. As time went by, I thought of you less and less like a lover, but more and more as a true friend. Don't make that mistake with Kat."

Tommy smiled faintly, quickly and quietly processing the information in his brain. He opened his mouth to speak, but then thought better of it and closed it. He thought about it, and the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He WAS pushing Kat away, clinging onto that last hope that Kim might leave Rocky's side and take him back. Now, he knew that it was just wishful thinking. He opened his mouth and spoke, his voice wavering at its edges.

"Kim. I understand what you're telling me, and I accept it. A part of me wants to cling on to what we had, but I know that that's impossible. I have to try and repair my relationship with Kat, and you're pretty happy with Rocky. Even if we left our partners, it still wouldn't be the same, it wouldn't be innocent love. Our experiences and burdens would weigh on the relationship and it wouldn't work out. I know that the world isn't all fun and games, that it's a mix of light and darkness. Nothing is ever etched in stone."

****

**_How can you understand_**

**_A love so strong_**

**_When you've never shared that with someone_**

**_And when all the lies are dead and gone_**

**_We'll still be here_**

**_We'll prove them wrong _**

He paused and continued, looking into her eyes.

"Kim. Yes, I wanted to know why you wrote the letter. All these years it's been an inner demon that I have tried to purge. But over the years, the hurt and pain have finally lessened, and I still love you – but as a friend as well."

Kim's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Suddenly, a hand appeared on her shoulder, causing the both of them to look up in surprise. In a blue shirt was Rocky. He nodded to Tommy, and then left silently. Kim smiled and looked at Tommy. When she spoke, her voice was full of friendly love.

"He's really a great guy. I know that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives as one, but fate doesn't make it that way. So…until next time, Catch ya on the flip side!"

**_Cause all they know is how to criticize_**

**_They'll never take a chance in their whole lives_**

**_What do they know_**

**_They don't know _**

**_A thing_****__**

Tommy watched Kim's retreating form, watching it tackle Rocky to the ground, watching them play around like teenagers. He looked away and dwelt on Kim's words. He knew he was pushing Kat away, like he told Kim. He knew that he had to get on with his life. At the sound of footsteps, he snapped his head up and grinned. As Katherine Hillard walked towards him, for the first time in his life…

He was complete.

****

**_And all I know_**

**_Is they don't know a thing_****__**

****


	3. Hey Whatever!

Hey Whatever

Disclaimer: I don't own the power Rangers in any way, shape or form. If I did, they'd still be on in Australia. I own some of the concepts in this story, though. Some spoilers for the 1st Zord battle and power changes.

Jason looked at the coin in his hand. Not less than two hours ago, he had been granted the powers of the Red Tyrannosaurus and the Green Dragon. For the first time in his life, he had raw power coursing through him, but he didn't know what to do with it.

**_Well I can't control the universe, cause I'm only a man_**

**_And I've been reading papers, but they won't tell me who I am_**

**_And if you really need a new philosophy, there's one that makes sense_**

**_The one I profess…_**

He thought about his new team. Billy, the Blue Ranger had changed drastically since that fateful day those long years ago. Now, he was more confident and more sure of himself than ever. Jason smiled as he recalled some of the things said to PirhanaShell in the Zord battle. As he thought about Billy more, he found his thoughts being drawn to Kimberley. The petite Pink Ranger had also come a very long way in the recent years. No more was she ditzy and carefree, now she was scarred by a hundred battles – physical and emotional. Her once blank stare was now replaced with a deadly glint, causing instant nervousness to anyone, or anything, that crossed her path.

**_I say Hey Whatever_**

**_Let your beauty come alive, Let your colour fill the sky_**

**_And say Whatever_**

**_Why don't you liberate your mind, Let your colour fill the sky_**

Zack, the once youthful prankster now had a more serious demeanour. He had seen countless people injured and even killed in monster attacks. Of course they had tried to keep the battles out of the city, but there were some times where it was almost impossible. Jason thanked whoever was listening that the battle hadn't been in any populated areas, and that the new Turbo Rangers had come quickly. 

**_All the_****_ world's a waiting room, and we're standing in line_**

**_For the answer to the question,_**

**_"What makes me smile?"_**

****

He smiled as his thoughts turned to Emily, the new White Ranger. Fortunately they had been able to pilot the Tyrannosaurus/Titanus combo without a hitch, but that was mostly to do with the psychic link that all the Rangers had. He thought it was a miracle that they could call upon the Power Sword in non-Megazord mode, but he knew the sword was always connected with the Tyrannosaurus Dinozord. He managed a wry grin as he thought about calling up the sword in Dinosaur mode. Maybe in the next battle he would.

**_Don't let them change your story, don't let them change your song_**

**_Don't let the gurus and philosophers lead you on…_**

**_Ah…._**

****

**_Hey whatever_**

**_Let your beauty come alive, let your colour fill the sky_**

**_And say whatever_**

**_Why don't you liberate your mind, Let your colour fill the sky_**

Jason's mood darkened a bit when he thought of the last member, the recently deceased Trini Kwan. Recently deceased, then recently resurrected in order to combat the renewed threat of Emperor Zedd. He wondered what would happen when Zedd and Serpenterra had been defeated, but he knew that day was a long time in coming. He also knew that the others were starting to warm up to the idea that she wasn't a member of the walking dead, just a person who had gone through a strange process. It was just the luck of the draw, he thought. Whatever happened, they were together again.

**_Like taking a seat at the roulette table and spinning the wheel_**

**_Good or bad, just take what it comes – it don't change how you feel_**

**_'f you're a champion of science, or you're just some freak show fool_**

**_What cannot be proved, no no, can still be true_**

He was startled out of his thoughts by two arms encircling him. He looked over his shoulder into the sapphire eyes of his wife, Emily Scott. She sighed, resting her head on his shoulders.

"I can't believe what's happened today. Do you think Karone can lead the Turbos?"

He smiled and looked over at her again, the light from the setting sun colouring her face ruby.

"Yeah. She's got Justin to help her out. We'll do fine. We always do."

****

**_I say, Hey Whatever_**

**_Let your beauty come alive, let your colour fill the sky_**

**_And say Whatever_**

**_Why don't you liberate your mind, let your colour fill the sky_**

**_Ah…_**

As they sat on the roof of the Power Centre, Jason smiled and knew that whatever battles they faced, they would come out of them stronger.

**_Hey Whatever…_**


End file.
